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Just one day before the highly anticipated surfing event on Kelly Slater's artificial wave pool in Lemoore, Calif., the World Surf League announced Wednesday it will award equal prize money to women and men for WSL-controlled events beginning with the 2019 season.

And that spells good news for Melbourne Beach native Caroline Marks who, at 16, has already earned more than $100,000 in her rookie season.

Marks was at the site Wednesday evening, preparing for this weekend's Surf Ranch Pro, the tour's first event on man-made waves.

Satellite Beach's Mitch Varnes orchestrated the Florida Pro at Sebastian Inlet in January and was first in line to offer the women's winner equal prize money to the men. In fact, he went one step further.

Marks won that contest and earned $11,000, $1,000 more than men's winner Evan Geiselman.

“The women on the tour deserve this change. I’m so proud that surfing is choosing to lead sports in equality and fairness,” said Slater, who is in line to compete this weekend despite missing all but one event on the tour this season due to foot injuries. “The female WSL athletes are equally committed to their craft as the male athletes and should be paid the same. Surfing has always been a pioneering sport, and this serves as an example of that.”

Pro tennis major championships, such as this week's U.S. Open in New York, also offer equal prize money in their men's and women's contests that are played simultaneously, like surfing.

Six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia called it “a historic day."

Gilmore said there has been talk about increasing women’s prize money, “but in 2018 it’s not enough to talk about it. You need to make it happen. To hear that news, I’m so excited. I didn’t think I’d see it in my career.”

Currently, there are 36 men and 18 women who compete on tour events. First-place prize money at each Championship Tour event for men is $100,000 out of a purse of more than $600,000, while first-place money for women is $60,000 out of a purse of more than $300,000.